1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fin worn by scuba divers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 297,754, issued to Chrang Y. Hwang on Sep. 20, 1988, and 302,999, issued to Donald B. McCredie on Aug. 22, 1989, illustrate swim fins which are representative of current practice, Both include vertical ribs providing rigidity. Cleats located on the bottom surface are seen in '754.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,857, issued to Frederick H. Gwynne on Mar. 15, 1966, discloses a swim fin having a member connecting the fin to the lower leg. This arrangement redistributes forces over a greater portion of the swimmer's anatomy, thereby reducing peak strain imposed on the foot. The swimmer's burden is thereby eased, thus prolonging the duration of time spent underwater.
Gwynne's fin includes a floor portion of the foot pocket which is disposed at an angle to the fin portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,343, issued to Mark D. Lamont et al. on Oct. 4, 1988, discloses, among other features, hinged construction which enables the fin portion to assume angularity with respect to the foot pocket. This angularity enables the fin to present minimized surface area, and hence reduced resistance, when moving through the water.
Additional examples of scuba fins are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 1,202,083, issued to John Mee on Oct. 24, 1916; Italian Pat. No. 644,799, dated September, 1962; French Pat. No. 1,241,394, dated August, 1960; and in an advertisement entitled "Swimtails by Swimcraft". Mee '083 discloses an apparatus essentially adapting a web which opens and closes in umbrella fashion to a generally conventional shoe. The Italian reference adapts a conventional ribbed fin to a generally conventional shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,824, issued to Donald B. McCredie on Jun. 13, 1989, the French reference and the advertisement illustrate swim fins featuring configuration wherein a foot pocket and a fin are integral, there being a gradual transition from foot pocket to fin. There is no marked delineation between these two components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,859, issued to Gianni Beltrani et al. on Nov. 17, 1992, illustrates swim fins wherein the foot pocket is delineated from the fin portion.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.